From: bolton8@juno.com
Date: Mon Jan 23 2006 - 18:58:02 PST
During the Vietnam War between 5,000 to 7,000 Canadian's crossed the
border into the United States to join the US Army. We came in legally,
obtaining a Green Card.
We all went through the standard background investigation, most
receiving the SECRET clearance. The Army could not levy a foreign
national into a war zone, we had to volunteer for overseas duty.
After serving my one year, I volunteered for a second tour, then a
third. I had a Maple Leaf drawn on my helmet cover and carried a small
Canadian Ensign with me. Still have the photo of it flying over the gun
pit during Tet '68.
Most Canadian's returned home and have a yearly reunion called 'Firebase
Canada'.
The Canadian Legion will not accept them as members. The Legion
considers them "mercenaries, because they fought under a foreign flag".
Six names on the Vietnam Wall are Canadian.
As for the draft dodger's that went North, it was best summed up in the
Toronto Globe & Mail: "The United States got the best of our young men,
while we got the worst of their's."
LANCE
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